Could someone kindly explain... - The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2007) Discussion

[–] Hotrodder 14 years ago

First of all get rid of the perception that it was just the dastardly English! David Lloyd George was Prime Minister during Ireland's War of Independence and he was Welsh FFS! Britain consisted before then of four united countries- England, Scotland, Wales and yes, Ireland. The total being referred to as the United Kingdom. It was the eventual result of umpteen wars fought between the inhabitants of these islands and to most people of the time seemed to be a perfectly natural result to have some sort of unity- look at Germany or Italy which essentially consist of smaller countries or Japan or Indonesia which are groups of islands under one flag.
The Irish rebels were seen as criminals by the establishment- the rulers and aristocracy of the UK-and not as any legitimate leaders of Ireland or anything else. If any rebel group had threatened the UK establishment had been English, Scots or Welsh they would have been reacted to in much the same way. It is now almost forgotten now that the General Strike in 1926 in England saw armed soldiers, tanks, and machine gun positions on England's streets, so sure were the establishment of a Socialist led rebellion.
The fact is that prior to the rebellion the establishment saw Ireland as as much as part of the UK as England and that it had a perfect right to rule over it. Indeed most Irishmen and women accepted the situation as much as their English, Scots and Welsh counterparts, it was just the way things was- the ruling classes ruled, the working classes worked and had few rights. The Irish took exception to the way they were treated and some rebelled against the establishment seeing independence as a way to a better life. The rest of the UK took to union actvities to improve the lot of the working classes and even some of them wanted an insurrection against the ruling classes to form a Socialist republic- very much as Marx predicted.
Religion had little to do with it by now, the old religious reasons for suppressing Catholicism were long gone along with most of the old laws that did so. It wasn't to exploit natural resources as Ireland had little in that way either. The whole thing is far more complicated than that.
Assuming that you're an American, if a group of Mexican-Americans rebelled in California would you let them have the State or would you send the US military to fight them?
Only a example but you get the idea.

"Trust me. I know what I'm doing."

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[–] mikeyg24 14 years ago

Firstly, because there are examples of unification under one flag in other instances that does not make the situation acceptable in any or all cases. One particular nation under the Union Jack decided their inclusion was unjust and fought to change that, I need hardly remind you who. The British establishment seeing Ireland as a natural part of the UK is evident of the arrogance with which the British felt they could dictate others affairs and does by no means justify their claim on the island.

most Irishmen and women accepted the situation as much as their English, Scots and Welsh counterparts

To claim that Great Britain was united is a lie. Many attempts were made by both Scotland and Ireland to rid their land of British rule and even today there is a deep resentment in Ireland towards Britains forced inclusion of this island under it's banner. I know many Britons out there long to believe that Great Britain and Ireland was a unity disrupted by a band of upstarts but to say so is an insult to history. England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales were not four lonely souls who joined forces. The 800 year military presence in Ireland forcing it's co-operation is a testiment to such. Four united countries? Under whom my dear friend? English lords at every opportunity, that's who! So don't bore us with your Welsh prime minister. Your glorious unification was ruled with an iron fist from London.

Your example is pitiful to say the least. Considering the US belonged to neither White nor Spaniard your point is moot.

We can't make you do anything, but we can make you wish you had!

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[–] Hotrodder 14 years ago

FFS, Mikey, read my bloody post! I clearly said it was the British UPPER CLASSES that considered Ireland to be rightfully theirs- the ruling classes, the aristocracy- THE ESTABLISHMENT! Yes, they fully believed in their- to them- God-given rights to rule over whoever they could.
The rest of us working class schmucks- or rather our ancestors- just had to bloody well put up with it, until the late 19th Century/early 20th when they started to do something about it by forming unions- which were a direct way to confront the ruling classes- or more extremely in Ireland's case by rebelling using arms, and that was only a sizable minority that took such direct action there even if they had the support of much or most of the populace. (And you do rather ignore the rebellions that took place in England over the centuries- rising up against your rulers isn't exclusively Irish or Scottish).

Many attempts were made by both Scotland and Ireland to rid their land of British rule

The Scots are British! Are you claiming they're not? The Anglo-Scottish wars are simply evidence of rulers doing what they did- defeating other countries if they could because they considered them a threat or simply wanting to add them to their territory. Arguably, in a way the Scots won in the end, a Scottish King ending up on the throne of England- are you going to have a rant at the Scots too then? In any case, I, nor any present Briton is responsible for the actions of people who lived hundreds of years ago and who lived by a different moral code- that of survival of the fittest and the right by conquer.
Which brings us to the reason for Ireland being invaded in the first place. It was considered to be a threat, not surprisingly as the Irish had invaded English territory. But who first invaded Ireland? The English? Um, no. Strongbow (not the cider) and his army- he was a French speaking Norman (Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke in point of fact). They very same French speaking Normans who had invaded and conquered England in 1066 and ruled it afterwards. Do I ever hear the French getting blamed for the conquest of Ireland?
Once Kings of those days conquered territory they held on to it thus stopping or at least reducing any future hostile threat from it.
I could wander on about the next 700 years but frankly I haven't the time but put simply it isn't just a matter of English vs Irish-that's an idiotic and naive view of a complex subject. Much of it is down to religion- Protestant vs Catholic- the Catholics seen as a threat by the ruling Protestants. Much of it is politics. When Cromwell slaughtered people at Drogheda, yes he murdered the Irish. He also killed most of the garrision there- which consisted of English troops. It was a Royalist/Parliamentarian bash rather than an Anglo-Irish barney. Not only were most Irish Catholics on the Royalist side- rather ironically- but Irishmen also fought in Cromwell's army.
One curious thing is the belief of some Irish folk to somehow think they're a breed apart- different to the rest of the inhabitants of these islands. Sad to say but you're not, you're the same mix of mongrels as the rest of us- the ordinary peoples have moved around to much for it to be anything else. You've far more in common with us than you like to admit. Being a bunch of stroppy argumentaive bastards seems to be a good example.

"Trust me. I know what I'm doing."

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[–] mikeyg24 14 years ago

My you're an angry fellow.

One curious thing is the belief of some Irish folk to somehow think they're a breed apart- different to the rest of the inhabitants of these islands.

I wonder how many died in the Great English famine? I wonder how much English land was owned by Irish landlords and how many English peasants were evicted from their homes by Irish landlords? I wonder how many English had their language beaten out of them? To say we all suffered from the same establishment is inaccurate. London administered a protracted foreign occupation of this Island pure and simple.

We can't make you do anything, but we can make you wish you had!

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[–] Hotrodder 14 years ago

I wonder how many died in the Great English famine?

Actually there was also a famine in Scotland at the time, met with much the same apathy from the Lords and Ladies.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highland_Potato_Famine
But if a famine had occurred in say, Northumberland (which is in England to any furrin types reading this), do you really think they would have given a stuff about the poor peasants snuffing it there either?

I wonder how much English land was owned by Irish landlords and how many English peasants were evicted from their homes by Irish landlords?

I live in the NE of England. The Duke of Northumberland still owns most of it. You can buy a bloody house here but it's still on his land and you still have to pay rent of sorts to the twat.
Plenty English peasants were evicted from their homes- do you really think they weren't? It was common practice to immediately evict the families of miners who were killed in pit disasters for example- I'm from mining stock myself and naturally my English ancestors had a GREAT time slaving 14 hours a day below ground in near darkness for a pittance, all the while knowing that if they died their wife and kids would end up on the streets or the workhouse. If our Lords and Masters cared so little about their own countrymen why would they care about the Irish?

I wonder how many English had their language beaten out of them?

I don't deny that the language was discouraged but it also died out in Cornwall- which is technically England doncha know, and almost in Scotland and Wales more due to the fact that in international commerce and that when ordinary people became mobile the Celtic languages were pretty useless. Celtic tongues have all but died out on the Continent too- save a few pockets here and there- are the British responsible for that too? The reason why the various Gaelic tongues have done badly is again somewhat more complex than the usual Brit bashing nonsense.

To say we all suffered from the same establishment is inaccurate.

So what you're saying is the ordinary English, Welsh and Scots all had wonderful care-free lives in the past compared with their Irish counterparts is that it? Persecution and grinding poverty was just the preserve of the Irish?
Your problem is you attach the blame for Ireland's suffering to the English people when really you should be slamming the aristocracy and their greed for it.

"Trust me. I know what I'm doing."

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] mikeyg24 14 years ago

Yes nice application moron!

We can't make you do anything, but we can make you wish you had!

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] mikeyg24 14 years ago

You're missing my point. I don't take task with Irelands misfortunes in so far as I take task with the fact that it was by a FOREIGN oppressor.

Your OP claimed that GB and Ireland was a united kingdom and that people simply accepted it. I refuted that and you came back with a whole load of history and a dose of hurt pride.

I never said I blamed all English but their attitude towards Irish in England especially in the last century speaks volumes.

The plain truth is that the sustained fight for and aquisition of a Republic is evidence that the Irish as a nation demanded independence from the British establishment whether that be the aristocracy or not and therefore certainly distinguishes them as a breed apart.

I don't deny that the language was discouraged

What a typical statement! Discouraged? Have a look at this my friend.

http://www.askaboutireland.ie/learning-zone/primary-students/looking-a t-places/meath/fr.-eugene-ogrowney/the-irish-language-in-the-1/

You can claim we're all the same mac but it's English influence that's found predominantly in your British Empire.

We can't make you do anything, but we can make you wish you had!

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[–] Hotrodder 14 years ago

and that people simply accepted it. I refuted that and you came back with a whole load of history and a dose of hurt pride.

The thing is most Irish people did! They lived, worked, joined the British Army in huge numbers, went to Britain and worked there- ta for the canals, lads! 99% of the time Ireland was not a hotbed of revolution. The only "British" troops in Ireland most of the time were those garrisoned there in Irish regiments- ie the Irish. It wasn't as if there was even an occupational army. Yes, British soldiers ended up in Ireland after the war of independence started (and at the other occasional rebellions).
Most Irish folk accepted it for two reasons- one, they couldn't really see a chance of overthrowing the system and two, because they were born into it. the Irish might like to sing romantic bollocks about rebellions to fool themselves over their pints of Guinness that dear old Great Granda was a rebel, just like every Frenchman's Grandad was in the Maquis, but there you go.

As for the good old independence what did it really mean for your average Irishman? Did he step into a veritable Utopia- a land of milk and honey and wealth redistribution? Nope, it meant continued grinding poverty under much the same landowners except a different more boring flag (A tricolour FFS- surely the Irish could have chosen something interesting?!) fluttering in the breeze and the pillar boxes and phone boxes painted green. Oh yes, and the Catholic priesthood's increased access to his kids. Indeed as an Irish writer noted, due to the power of the Catholic clergy Ireland must of the few countries to fight for freedom and have less rights than before they started!
As an independent country Ireland was essentially skint for the next 70 years or so until mucho Euros from the EU helped it along somewhat. The truth is it would have a been a lot wealthier if it had remained part of the UK. And far fewer choir boys wouldn't have had sore arses...

BTW "Hurt pride" I'm proud of the UK for what it has done right in the world- quite a lot actually and feel some shame for what it has done wrong. A sense of balance is what you call it, innit?

"Trust me. I know what I'm doing."

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[–] mikeyg24 14 years ago

First of all I'd appreciate it if you didn't address me directly by my name when you hide behind an alias.

the Irish might like to sing romantic bollocks about rebellions to fool themselves over their pints of Guinness that dear old Great Granda was a rebel, just like every Frenchman's Grandad was in the Maquis, but there you go.

And British lads don't celebrate what their grandfathers did in WWI, WWII, The Falklands? Oh I forgot you guys were a superior race, the IRB and Maquis were small fry! How typically English!

they couldn't really see a chance of overthrowing the system

They could and they did!

it meant continued grinding poverty under much the same landowners except a different more boring flag

It's hard to develop economic independence when you're oppressed.

(A tricolour FFS- surely the Irish could have chosen something interesting?!)

Last time I checked the union jack comprised three colours, the English flag only two!

And far fewer choir boys wouldn't have had sore arses...

I actually thought you had some semblance of intelligence before but to resort to that idiocy is juvenile. For British soldiers, rape was a staple of warfare, you might keep that in mind before mouthing off.

I'm proud of the UK for what it has done right in the world

Yes I look forward to seeing how the UK perform in the next world cup!

We can't make you do anything, but we can make you wish you had!

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[–] Hotrodder 14 years ago

First of all I'd appreciate it if you didn't address me directly by my name when you hide behind an alias.

Bit tricky when it's your user name methinks? Perhaps you'd prefer it if I call you Paddy?
I'm Erik, pleased to meetcha!

And British lads don't celebrate what their grandfathers did in WWI, WWII, The Falklands?

Yes, manys the time I've whiled away my time at the pub with the lads singing songs about the Battle of Britain and the Falklands War....

They could and they did!

Only took you 800 years as well. Somewhat tardy of you but well done for getting there in the end!

It's hard to develop economic independence when you're oppressed.

So what's your excuse for being skint for the 70 years following independence? Can't blame the Brits for that one really, perhaps you were all just hitting the Guinness a tad too much. BTW isn't it a shame that Guinness is and was essentially British, and the Guinness family were ardent Imperialists? They supplied old boilers for the police to convert into armoured cars during our little scuffle doncha know? Must want to make you choke on yer pint!

Last time I checked the union jack comprised three colours, the English flag only two!

You're clearly missing the point, dear boy! It's the fact it's a tricolour- copied off the French (FFS) or the Italians....Just think how many poor bastards have walked into an Irish restaurant over the years after confusing the flag, expected pate de foie gras or tagliatelle perhaps and instead got mince and dumplings served by fat wench named Colleen or somesuch?
I mean three stripes in a row too? It's the way the colours are arranged, old son, it's having style even. The difference between a classical bit of music and Bob Geldof's worst efforts.

For British soldiers, rape was a staple of warfare, you might keep that in mind before mouthing off

Mind citing a few examples throughout the world where British soldiers were known primarily for their raping activities? Better choose after 1921 because logic obviously means that good old Irish boys of the British Army must be involved too. Or did they refrain, telling the natives that dear ol' Mum would be so upset if they did such things? In that vein were Irish soldiers excused oppressing the natives in the British Army? Did they get notes from their Mum's asking the Sergeant Major please let Michael off oppressing today as he has a sniffle?
You've really had a sense of humour failure this time, Mikey lad, if you couldn't detect the jocular tone in my last posting. Maybe it's hurt pride?
Happy New Year!

"Trust me. I know what I'm doing."

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] mikeyg24 14 years ago

It's the way the colours are arranged, old son, it's having style even

The green of the nationalist and the orange of the loyalist seperated by white peace! So at least there's a specific political agenda behind the design instead of a cross commemorating the dragon slayer.

Yes, manys the time I've whiled away my time at the pub with the lads singing songs about the Battle of Britain and the Falklands War....

That's very commendable!

Can't blame the Brits for that one really, perhaps you were all just hitting the Guinness a tad too much. BTW isn't it a shame that Guinness is and was essentially British, and the Guinness family were ardent Imperialists? They supplied old boilers for the police to convert into armoured cars during our little scuffle doncha know?

Yes I know since the last time you told me. In fact you worded it exactly the same way! You really need some new material. Incidentally, there was more Guinness drank in Britain last year than in Ireland. BTW commerce is not established overnight!

There's nothing humourous about the crimes perpetrated by the catholic church. Where we don't see eye to eye Erik is that where we agree on the history you claim we Irish are simply pathetic for celebrating our liberation. Would Ireland have been more economically stable under British rule? Of course, in as much as France grew richer under the Reich and Iraq under The Alliance. But that's not really the point is it?

All that aside happy new year!

We can't make you do anything, but we can make you wish you had!

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[–] Hotrodder 14 years ago

The green of the nationalist and the orange of the loyalist seperated by white peace!

Commendable idea but didn't quite work out until recently- hopefully it'll continue.
Should flags have a political agenda? I dunno. The Nazi's Swastika flag and the Soviet Hammer and Sickle, other Communist flags and some African ones clearly do, is that necesarily a good thing? Politics divides people, it rarely unites them.

Yes I know since the last time you told me. In fact you worded it exactly the same way!

Did I? At least I'm boringly consistant. Can't remember even mentioning it before but I'm always struck by the irony that it's considered quintessentially Irish.

Incidentally, there was more Guinness drank in Britain last year than in Ireland. BTW commerce is not established overnight!

I bloody well hope so, there is a few more of us across here you know! The Irish are great drinkers but they'd each have to drink 10 times more Guinness!

There's nothing humourous about the crimes perpetrated by the catholic church.

Perhaps I was being a bit insensitive there and for that I sincerely apologise but it was more my way of somewhat bludgeoning my point home that the Catholic clergy had overwhelming power in Ireland to a degree that can only have damaged the society in many ways, including the obvious recent scandals.
I bet you all still made jokes about it and sent them by text- admit it! Human nature there, lad!

Where we don't see eye to eye Erik is that where we agree on the history you claim we Irish are simply pathetic for celebrating our liberation.

Did I say you were pathetic? Where? I was just using gentle mockery and you bit. Sorry about that. I don't think the Irish have much to apologise for in their War of Independence and think they have every right to celebrate it. There- I've said it!
Doesn't mean as a Briton that I'm not going to wind you up over it!

"Trust me. I know what I'm doing."

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] mikeyg24 14 years ago

Doesn't mean as a Briton that I'm not going to wind you up over it!

Well that's one thing I genuinely wouldn't deny any man so long as I can give a bit back.

We can't make you do anything, but we can make you wish you had!

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[–] d_killa_b 14 years ago

i think the point the both of you are trying to make is that the upper class are *beep* and the poor are bigger *beep* for tolerating them.

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[–] RhysAneurin 14 years ago

@ Hotrodder

"I wonder how many English had their language beaten out of them?"

and you answered:

"and almost in Scotland and Wales more due to the fact that in international commerce and that when ordinary people became mobile the Celtic languages were pretty useless"

I'd like to point out that the Welsh Language was spoken fluently by the great majority in Wales until the Treachery of the Blue Books in 1847 where education ministers came to Wales from London (that's right, more bullies from the government) saw that Welsh was spoken fluently, and reported back to London calling it jibberish. As a result, children were banned from speaking their own language in schools, and if they were caught speaking Welsh they were brutally beaten.

Your answer made it sound like my language just died down because it was useless, which is absolute nonsense. My language has suffered because of the bigotry of 3 English education ministers, who instead of embracing our culture, attempted to drown it.

I just thought i'd clear that up, apologies for going off the topic of the film.

"Britishness is a political synonym for Englishness which extends English culture over the Irish, Scottish and Welsh"
- Gwynfor Evans

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[–] Hotrodder 14 years ago

RhysAneurin- you somewhat miss the point- all of the various Gaelic tongues diminished in every country where they were, the dominant language pushing them further out to the fringes. This would have happened regardless of bans on speaking the language and like it or not is a perfectly natural result. Even now Welsh, Scots and Irish Gaelic are almost entirely useless in this English language dominated world. Yes, you've got your own channel S4C, whoopy f!ckin' do.
IMO they're not even pleasant to listen to, being very gutteral to my ear.

"Trust me. I know what I'm doing."

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[–] bmemac8 14 years ago

Hotrodder - Welsh is not a Gaelic language, and yes Irish and Scots Gaelic have diminished and been pushed to the coastal fringes of both lands - by a sustained persecution of Gaelic culture, from the English speaking world - born of bigotry. This persecution of the languages and the culture that went with them, is the source of their decline, it's not some natural process as you would have us believe.

"This would have happened regardless of bans on speaking the language and like it or not is a perfectly natural result." I suppose they would have collapsed under the weight of their own useless, guttural deadwood?

"Even now Welsh, Scots and Irish Gaelic are almost entirely useless in this English language dominated world." no living language is useless - what an incredibly inane statement, I swear to God only an Englishman could come out with that S**t.

"Yes, you've got your own channel S4C, whoopy f!ckin' do." Hide your contempt why don't you Hotrodder.

"IMO they're not even pleasant to listen to, being very gutteral to my ear."
Your entitled to your opinion of course, but it's based in yet more ignorance - you need to at least understand a language before you can pass judgement on it(This is the typical attitude of the Englishman - regarding any language other than his own as useless or pointless or funny sounding and being something destined for the scrapheap).

You need to know something of your subject Hotrodder, if you want to express a worthwhile opinion on it - you clearly know little to nothing about the Welsh(A Celtic Brythonic tongue by the way)language or the Gaelic languages for that matter.

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[–] Hotrodder 14 years ago

I don't particularly care whether Welsh is Gaelic or not- it is related to the other "Celtic" languages of Brittany, Scotland and Ireland though, isn't it? BTW, "Celt" was just seized upon by Welsh historians eager to have some link with the distant past. The real Celts were described by the Romans as tall and blonde which doesn't resemble the "Celts" we know and love today one bit.

...it's not some natural process as you would have us believe.

No, it's a simple statement of fact- the dominant culture and it's language causes the dominated culture's language to fade- this has happened everywhere in the world- the USA, South America, Australia, etc whether you like it or not.

...no living language is useless - what an incredibly inane statement, I swear to God only an Englishman could come out with that S**t.

Again it' the truth- you just can't handle the truth can you? Not only are the Celtic tongues useless outside the areas they are spoken they can't even understand the other Celtic tongues either. If you only spoke Gaelic or whatever how far would you get if you were travelling?
Channel S4C was a ridiculous attempt at politcal correctness in forcing a Welsh language station onto Wales- a country where IIRC only 20-25% of the population even speak Welsh. So for the other 75-80% the channel might as well be in Martian.

Your entitled to your opinion of course, but it's based in yet more ignorance

Yes, it's an opinion, but not based on ignorance- I've heard it spoken plenty of times and I think it is unpleasant to listen to, simple as that. I don't have to know what is being said to know what it sounds like, FFS. It is funny sounding to my ear. Norwegian sounds far nicer, so does French, Spanish etc and so do other languages. Gaelic is on a par with Germany for it's ugly tones IMO.
You just come across as yet another Celt with a chip on your shoulder, mate!
Look it's a damn shame that English is the dominant language of the globe. Tough, but it is!

"Trust me. I know what I'm doing."

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[–] bmemac8 14 years ago

I know you don't particularly care Hotrodder, but I do, and I feel like defending my inheritance when it's trivialised by others - that is not having a chip on my shoulder mate.

"Look it's a damn shame that English is the dominant language of the globe. Tough, but it is!" I don't think it's a shame it's a fine language which I enjoy expressing myself with - theirin lies the difference with our attitudes.

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[–] Hotrodder 14 years ago

Sorry, I came across as a bit brusque there but I do get a little tired at people taking a pop at the English and blaming them for things which they weren't responsible for. Blame us for what we did, yes, the Gaelic language was restricted but that wasn't what led to it's decline. For example the older languages in France have all but disappeared too for example as the French we know today dominated. It's a natural process and TBH rather sad as languages and dialects do die out as a result, but it is a natural process nevertheless.

"Trust me. I know what I'm doing."

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[–] Hancock_the_Superb 14 years ago

This isn't a question of whether such a perception is justified. That it existed and was enforced by law is enough.

"Earth first! Make Mars our bitch!"

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[–] mikeyg24 14 years ago

I'm sorry due to the nature of IMDb it's hard to tell which of my posts you're actually replying to.

Good guys may not finish last but they sure as sh*t don't finish first!

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[–] kinderhead 9 years ago

Well written and very well explained, hotrodder!

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[–] Hotrodder 14 years ago

Hallo, Corpus- Happy New Year, mate!

"Trust me. I know what I'm doing."

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[–] Clyde_Donovan 14 years ago

I reckon the Brits would give up the North tomorrow if they could, I'd imagine most of them would dearly love to be shut of it, the people anyway.

If keeping the North under brutal, regressive, English oppression keeps annoying and upsetting the Freedom Loving, drunken, potato munching hobbits in the Southern Republic then we should keep it.

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] mikeyg24 14 years ago

how people surrounded by fish succumbed to a famine.

It wouldn't have made a difference. Surely you're aware the famine was little more than the English 'Final solution' to the Irish question! Or was that Guinness? Damn you Hotrodder!!!

We can't make you do anything, but we can make you wish you had!

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] mikeyg24 14 years ago

You do have to hand it to Blair. And it's more than we got from FIFA!

We can't make you do anything, but we can make you wish you had!

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[–] Clyde_Donovan 14 years ago

or laugh how people surrounded by fish succumbed to a famine.

There was never really a potato famine.
Nobody ever told them that they grow underground.

If you are offended, feel free to call the complaints line on 0800 1-potato 2-potato 3-potato 4

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] Clyde_Donovan 14 years ago

Two men were in a pub.

Man 1 - I haven't seen you here before.

Man 2 - I just got back from Afghanistan.

Man 1 - Wow, how was it.

Man 2 - Well, on my first day our base was attacked by rocket fire and shrapnel got lodged in my best friends spine, so I used my field medical training to isolate the wound and carefully remove the shrapnel without any nerve damage. He recovered after about 5 months. Then two days later, we were sent into the red zone and came under heavy fire. I managed to take out seven insurgents which led to their withdrawal, meaning we could return home safely with no casualties.

Man 1 - Oh my God. You're a hero. I have to buy you a drink, what are you having?

Man 2 - WKD

Man 1 - *beep* off twat.

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[–] abbottdorothy 14 years ago

You obviously descend from those Freedom Loving (is that meant to be insulting?!), drunken, potato munching hobbits in the Southern Republic, if your surname is DONOVAN!
If you ventured into Dublin on a Saturday night, you won't find anyone more drunk than the herds of British folk over for the weekend. As for potatoes, I do believe they're quite popular in the U.K., they seem to produce quite a variety. Hobbits are a British creation, no Irish relevance there.

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[–] mikeyg24 14 years ago

Ssssh they haven't worked out what the chips from their national dish are actually made from!

Good guys may not finish last but they sure as sh*t don't finish first!

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